Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Notes to Galatians 1:6-10

I now continue with my paraphrased notes to the book of Galatians. Again, these are gathered from Luther, Calvin, Gill, and MacArthur, with no attempt to say who said what since most of the time they said the same thing. Whoopee.

Galatians 1:6-10

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1:6

that you are so quicklyThat which takes long to build may be quickly undone.

deserting himMay be Christ or the Father. Luther prefers “Christ.”

a different gospelThe devil never calls his work error. He disguises it as truth. It is likely that the Judaizers said that Paul did not give the whole gospel and they were teaching the rest of it.

1:7

not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.The Judaizers were obviously not denying the gospel openly, but were subtly adding to it, which destroys it. This is more dangerous. Anything other than faith alone is a false gospel. Adding works is a perversion of the gospel. It is all Christ or nothing.

1:8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.We are all subject to the Word of God. Paul would rather curse himself, his co-workers, and the angels than let the gospel be overthrown. How should the false teachers escape the curse of God if even the angels would not?

1:9

now I say again:He repeats this for the more solemn confirmation of it.

If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.If you do not accept the gospel, you will be cursed. The false teachers should be left to the judgment of God.

1:10

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?Paul does not please men with his doctrine of depravity. He preaches to please God and ascribe to Him glory.

Or am I trying to please man?By teaching the works of man, the false teachers please man.

If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.Paul does not please man as he did before conversion. He was obviously not pleasing to the non-Christians who were persecuting him. To please man and be a servant of Christ is incompatible.